MLB News

Look familiar? Streaking Indians reprising '16

Club sets season-best 10-game win streak, its longest since last year's club-record 14-game run

By
Kyle BeerySpecial to MLB.com

DETROIT -- The Indians won their season-high 10th game in a row with Saturday's 5-2 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park, extending a run that is becoming reminiscent of last season's club-record 14-game win streak. Cleveland has added 3 1/2 games to its lead on the second-place Twins in the American League Central standings during the streak, now leading by eight games.

The clubhouse is loose. Guys are having fun. The wins just keep piling up. But it's still all business for the Tribe.

DETROIT -- The Indians won their season-high 10th game in a row with Saturday's 5-2 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park, extending a run that is becoming reminiscent of last season's club-record 14-game win streak. Cleveland has added 3 1/2 games to its lead on the second-place Twins in the American League Central standings during the streak, now leading by eight games.

The clubhouse is loose. Guys are having fun. The wins just keep piling up. But it's still all business for the Tribe.

"We keep it going by just showing up and working and doing the same things that we've been doing," Indians ace Corey Kluber said. "You can't just roll out of bed and show up and play a game. And I think we've done a good job of that. We're still doing the little things that win games.

"It is a lot of fun when you get on these streaks, and you try and ride on it as long as you can. Obviously, we're going to lose again at some point in time, but hopefully when that time comes we can brush it off and try and start another one."

As is the case with a lot of long winning streaks, the Indians have been getting big contributions from the entire team. Game in and game out, guys have been producing up and down the lineup.

The Indians have found a way to keep winning while also getting players valuable experience, something Kluber said he has noticed as a pattern over the last couple of years.

"We've got some experience when guys have gone down, we've had to call on other guys and they've done a good job," he said. "We have that experience to fall back on of guys coming up and really just doing their job, not trying to make up or be somebody they're not."

Young outfielder Abraham Almonte was the latest such player to step up for the Tribe, going 2-for-5 with three RBIs, including a two-run single in a four-run first inning and an RBI double in the fifth.

"It's good. We've been using pretty much our whole roster, the way guys have been getting banged up or nicked up," manager Terry Francona said. "We got [Indians No. 8 prospect] Greg Allen in there tonight, [who recorded his first Major League hit], and it seems like, at least in my opinion, every time he plays, it's experience and he's a good defender, so it's nice to be able to win and get some guys some really important experience."

Francona has spoken a lot lately about the importance of the depth of the team and the role it has played in the Indians' late-season charge. But that's not to say the big names haven't been showing up. Kluber's eight-inning, one-run performance Saturday was a perfect example.

He has won six of his last seven starts and has a 1.83 ERA in that span as he continues to build a Cy Young resume.